Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the area of injection molding devices, in particular injection molding devices for the injection molding of plastics.
Discussion of Related Art
From the prior art, injection molding devices are known which have a first mold half and a second mold half that can be linearly displaced in relation to the first mold half. Between the first and second mold halves, a third central mold half (central part) is attached, which is also disposed so as to be linearly displaceable in the same direction in relation to the first and second mold halves. A coordination mechanism ensures that the third, central mold half, during the opening and closing of the injection molding device, is positioned centrally between the first and second mold halves and is moved in a manner coordinated with these.
The first and third mold halves interact in the region of a first parting plane and the second and third mold halves in the region of a second parting plane (also referred to as parting plane) in order to form cavities, into which e.g. molten plastic for producing injection molding parts is injected. As a rule, a plurality of cavities exists for each parting plane in order to enhance efficiency.
Further, a transfer system exists, by means of which injection-molded parts produced in the first parting plane can be lifted out of their cavities when the injection molding device is open and can be introduced around the central mold half into the second parting plane and there into cavities of the second parting plane.
From the prior art, various such devices are known. These will be briefly explained below.
EP0070189 was published in 1984 in the name of Sumitomo Heavy Industries and relates to an injection blow molding device with a non-rotatably mounted central part. A transfer system is rotatably mounted at the bottom and at the top on the central part. It is used for moving parts produced by injection molding in a first parting plane into a second parting plane, where they are molded by blow molding. The transfer system is part of the injection molding device and remains, during the production of the parts, inside the injection molding device when the latter is closed.
EP1174242 was published in 2002 in the name of the Co. Hekuma GmbH and shows an injection molding device of the kind mentioned at the beginning with an externally mounted transfer device, which moves from the outside in between the two parting planes.
DE10121691 was published in 2002 under the name of the Co. Zahoransky Formenbau GmbH. Described is an injection molding device of the kind mentioned at the beginning. The transfer system is based on a chain drive having two chains, which is arranged around the central mold half, which chains run around two rotary axes and move the parts parallel to the lateral surfaces of the central mold half, which comprise the two cavity halves. The chains are arranged in two slots arranged in parallel. During transfer, the produced parts constantly adhere to a movable region of the cavities that is fixed to a lifting system.
EP1782936 was published in May 2007 in the name of the Co. Wilden Handels AG. The document describes an injection molding device of the kind mentioned at the beginning. The central mold half consists of a bottom part and a top part, which are separated from each other by a slot. In this slot, a transfer system is arranged that is used for transferring the parts from a first into a second parting plane. The transfer system rotates about a single axis. No details are known with regard to the construction of the injection.
WO07082394 was published in July 2007 in the name of the Co. Foboha GmbH Formenbau. This publication also describes an injection molding device of the kind mentioned at the beginning with a central mold half and a transfer system integrated in the mold. The central mold half has a bottom part and a top part, which are separated from each other by a slot. The transfer system rotates about a centrally positioned rotary axis. Regions of the cavities are fixed to radially adjustable cantilever arms located in the slot between the bottom part and the top part.
WO07085063 was published in August 2007 in the name of the Co. Boucherie NV G B. This document, too, is directed to an injection molding device of the kind described at the beginning. The device described in this publication is very similar in its construction of the transfer system to the one of EP0070189. Both include a transfer system that is rotatably fixed to the central mold half at the bottom and at the top.